Baltimore Ravens Recognize O.J. Brigance as 'Legend of the Game'

On Thursday, former Baltimore Ravens player and cofounder of the Brigance Brigade Foundation, O.J. Brigance, was recognized by the Ravens as a “Legend of the Game” during the first pre-season home game of the 2015 season at MT&T Bank stadium. The Ravens’ “Legend of the Game” program was created in 2014 in an effort to honor former Ravens players by inviting them back to a home game throughout the season to be recognized for their time with the team, while also taking part in fun fan activities and media appearances leading up to the game.

During the evening’s events, O.J. Brigance took part in various fan-related activities and media interviews. In addition, the RavensVision Boards featured a live shot of O.J., accompanied by his wife Chanda, on the field during the first time out of the first quarter of the game.

“How fortunate are the Ravens to have had O.J. first as a standout player and team leader, then to have him join our front office as one of our key executives,” said Dick Cass, President of the Baltimore Ravens. “He daily inspires us all. The Ravens’ heart beats strongly and a lot of that is energized by O.J. No doubt that he is legendary in our eyes and to our fans.”

O.J. Brigance played in the NFL for seven years, winning a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. In 2007, while working in the Baltimore Ravens’ front office, Brigance was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). After seeing first-hand how much emotional, physical and financial support is needed to fight this disease every day, O.J. and Chanda created the Brigance Brigade Foundation to help others in their situation. The Brigance Brigade Foundation raises funds to equip, encourage and empower people living with ALS and improves their lives by providing access to equipment, support services and resource guidance.

“It is an absolute honor to be recognized tonight as a ‘Legend of the Game’ by my second family, the Baltimore Ravens,” said O.J. Brigance, Co-Founder of the Brigance Brigade Foundation and Senior Advisor to Player Development for the Ravens. “I am so grateful for the continued support of the Baltimore Ravens staff, players and fans which help motivate me each and every morning to get up, embrace the day, and continue to fight my battle against ALS. Being a part of this organization, as a player and front office staff member, has brought me so much joy and I am appreciative of all of the people I have met along the way.”

As 2015 marks the 20th season of Ravens football, the “Legend of the Game” program takes on an even greater importance as the organization will be looking back at its history all season long. Previous “Legend of the Game” recipients include Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, Kelley Gregg and Adalius Thomas.

During their pre-season home opener, the Baltimore Ravens took on the New Orleans Saints whose former teammate Steve Gleason, also fighting his own battle against ALS, recently made huge strides for the ALS community when the Steve Gleason Act officially became law late last month. The Steve Gleason Act will make critical technology available to patients with ALS and other neurological disorders through Medicare and Medicaid. This includes speech-generating devices like the one Brigance and Gleason use to communicate.

About the Brigance Brigade:
O.J. Brigance is one of the few professional football players to win both a Canadian Football League and National Football League championship, and the only one to do it in the same city, Baltimore, MD. Brigance joined the Ravens in 2000, helped the team claim a Super Bowl victory, and now works as Senior Advisor to Player Development. In 2007, Brigance was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a motor neuron disease and is determined to win his fight against it. Following his diagnosis with ALS, O.J. and his wife Chanda created the Brigance Brigade Foundation to equip, encourage and empower people living with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis); we strive to improve the quality of life for them and their families by providing needed equipment, resource guidance and support services, in addition to funding various research initiatives. For more information on the Brigance Brigade, visit www.brigancebrigade.org.

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